Analects 14.36
The Analects (論語), BOOK XIV. HSIEN WAN 憲問第十四
或曰、以德報怨、何如。子曰、何以報德。以直報怨、以德報德。
1. Some one said, "What do you say concerning the principle that injury should be recompensed with kindness?"
2. The Master said, "With what then will you recompense kindness?
3. "Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness."
James Legge (1861), Confucian Analects, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861; 2nd ed. 1893) — public domain.
Character glossary
- 或huòor, either, else; maybe, perhaps, possib
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 德déethics, morality; compassion, kindness
- 報bàoto announce, to report; newspaper; payba
- 怨yuànto blame, to complain, to hate; enmity,
- 何héwhat, why, where, which, how
- 如rúas, as if, like, such as, supposing
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 直zhístraight, vertical; candid, direct, fran
Passages with shared wording
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.